The current state of corperate financial affairs offers a fabulous opprtunity to the independent musician to validate their work while the giants struggle with their own demons. We are within striking distance of a balance.

I spent my time in college and university studying economics and finance, why? It interests me to no end, and as a musician who had been performing since the tender age of 7, and coming from a family of performers I realized that the best asset I could give myself was a solid understanding of business management. I figured that an artist with the skill set to write a corperate charter would be a rare asset, and I was right.

In the current state of affairs in the marketplace, shares are taking a bath. This means that it is much harder for a large company to generate capitol investment and it comes at a higher price. This has hobbled manyindustries and it is doing the same to the big five in the music biz.

It is made clear in the rampant lobbying to control new technology. Have you noticed the focus? These efforts are normally aimed at competitors, i.e. the other big players with the same resorces and bankrolls to weild. Now the offensive has moved to the independents, you should ask yourself why.

The "why?" question is relatively simple to answer. In the dark days after the incredible success of Nirvana and the blooming of the Seattle sound a concerted and in consert effort was made by the major labels to buy up as many independent labels as possible. Names where left unchanged to mantain the veil of independence, but the money trail shifted away from the artist and producers and back to the corperations. But then something happened that the industry was wholely not prepared for.

I was one of those children that learned to program on the first generation of Apple computers and have been comfortable with personal computers since(sorry Steve I have become a dedicated pc user due to the interchangability of parts and the flexibilty of source code, and the Tron image of the user god, and while I am at it, fuck you Bill, Unix is coming to get you).

I use three pc's on a daily basis. The one I am typing on right now runs my internet broadcast, and deals with graphics for albums recorded on pc #2, based in the home studio, which we produce from start to finish in house, which people buy, and the money is documented on pc #3, managed by my partner and brother.

I started this business to support my band but then it started to grow. We have had relative success but the real winners have been artists that we have worked with. For a mere $1200 that I took as contingency(I only take payment when an album generates income) we produced an album for a friend in Colorado. The first and second production runs of 300 copies sold out and we paid the majority(more than 50%) went to the artist himself. I'll do it again, and again.

I have become the industry enemy. Myself and thousands like me are taking the art of music back to the cottage and out of the boardroom.

The big five now sit on some real cultural gems, pushing the likes of Britney down our throats as if it had real cultural value, exploiting the violent side of hip-hop relentlessly, and even going as far as letting us choose our own plastic pop star with "American Idol". The problem with these products is that they are just that, products, conceived and financed by people outside of the arts with enough advertising money to generate popularity.

The arts are a vital part of what makes up society, offering commentary and thought to the realm of human experience. It is culture that gives societies their identity and defines them.

The high tech independents are no longer saddled by the insurmountable cost of communication. We have the tools and abilty to reach out to people all over the world and just as importantly to each other. This is why the heat is on, the DMCA and other legislation of it's ilk are aimed directly at us. We are a severe threat to the one way money flow that has been the hallmark of the big business of music, remember even Britney went broke. Got to ask yourself why on that one too. She's an idol to millions of schoolgirls and a guilty pleasure to millions of adult men who worship the "Teen Queen of Slut Pop" (thanks for the quote Hillary) generating a tremendous flow of cash. We are talking old wrinkly white people money here folks. While Britney goes through the hoops my friend in Colorado is getting ready to re-press his first release and will record another with us this summer. We will soon be shifting a large part of our efforts to staight up downloads for cash, pushing our ingoing cost down to almost nothing other than the time invested. I'm worth $40 an hour in the studio, but I don't get paid unless I generate income for the artist, try that hat on ceo's, it aint easy being fair but it's worth it.

Organizations like Songramp and Dmusic and many others are using the high tech tools of the trade to balance the books and it's working, creating a scrabble in the big five to muzzle us as quickly as possible lest we do the most horrendous of deeds and create a direct link from artist to the fan/buyer/supporter of the arts. We are becoming a guild, far more dangerous to corperate interests than any union can be, we control the means of production, communication, and distrbution will be the next one to fall.

Take the initiative, the industry is reeling but they won't be for long. We need to further our cause though more communication and commit to creating the best that we are capable of. The road ahead is going to be a rough one, don't be suprised if a few thousand pc's are confiscated through legislation or otherwise attacked. It is a sign that we are on the right track. Don't look to the industry to make your dreams come true, an artist selling 300 copies of their album through me makes more money at the end of the day than the band that sells 10,000 copies for a large label, it is a sad fact that, at these numbers under, a standard recording contract, the artist ends up owing the label money for a release that has generated $1million in cash inflow(not a joke, check it out).

I will end with a personal note to Britney. Miss Spears let's talk, you've got the name, we've got the resources. I will record and release your next album for the publishing. Think about it Britney how about 75% instead of 6%, for you it would be truly worth it. The very instant one of you steps over to the dark side the battle will be one. Come on Britney, think about it.

With an eternal optimism for the furure, and the nerve to push for it, I will continue.
Yer Pal Ethan

Heh, britney would get sued for something. I dont know what, the layers will find some excuse, probably breech of contract.

Maybe Britney should hire Micro$oft'$ lawyers eh ?

you mean the battle will be *won*, but we all get the gist